


A Rational Fear of Dragons

by ProbablyVoldemort



Series: Kim Knows Things [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Brotp, Dragons, F/M, Gen, History Project, Identity Reveal, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-24
Updated: 2016-10-24
Packaged: 2018-08-24 09:57:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8368009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProbablyVoldemort/pseuds/ProbablyVoldemort
Summary: When Kim gets paired with Marinette for a history project, he learns a lot, though most of it has nothing to do with their project.





	

**Author's Note:**

> The Marinette and Kim BrOTP fic that nobody asked for.  
> Just FYI: Please pretend my Louvre description is accurate. I've never been, so it's completely made up. Let's pretend it's real.  
> Anyway. It's like two a.m. which is almost always the time when I post things, so we're keeping on that record.  
> Enjoy! :D

There were three things that Kim never did, no matter the circumstances.

One: Kim never got scared. Honestly, the word wasn’t even in his vocabulary. He could sit through horror movies without blinking an eye, could ride the fastest rides without getting sick. He wasn’t even scared of akumas—though that didn’t mean he wanted to get up close and personal with them.

Two: Kim never backed down from a challenge. Didn’t matter how idiotic it was or how little chance he had at actually succeeding, he’d take it. You’re only a loser if you act like one, that was his motto.

Three: Kim never cried. Especially not in front of girls. No matter what Alix might have told you, those were definitely not tears when he broke his arm doing parkour on the Louvre pyramid. It was clear blood, if anything.

Those were his rules, and he stuck by them.

Until today.

 

It was a pretty ordinary day, to be entirely honest. Kim was in—what class even was this? He chanced a glance at Max’s notes—history class, throwing paper airplanes at the back of Alix’s head when Mme. Bustier wasn’t looking and not actually paying attention to the lecture.

Which was why he was confused when everyone was standing up and moving around. The bell definitely hadn’t rung. He would have noticed that.

So, instead of figuring out what bizarre thing was going on—maybe it was a musical chairs akuma? That would be sick. He’d win for sure. Kim was the musical chairs champion—he focused on making another paper airplane. Alix had moved to sit with Nino, so it would be a bit more of a challenge to hit her, which made it all the more fun.

But someone coughed above him, interrupting his concentration. Kim looked up, grinning at the girl who stood by his desk.

“Dupain-Cheng,” he drawled, leaning back and stretching out. “Finally come to confess your undying love?”

Marinette just rolled her eyes, shoving him down the bench. “In your dreams,” she shot back, sitting in his spot. “We’re partners for the history project.”

“Oh, cool.” Kim did one last fold on the paper airplane before sending it flying across the classroom and crashing into Alix’s hair. The girl turned around, giving him a glare and a not so nice hand gesture in return for the gift, which he only grinned at before returning his focus to Marinette. “The DCC Team is back in business!”

His project parted let out a huff of a laugh, rolling her eyes. “We’ve been out of business since we were, like, eight,” she pointed out. “What was the reason again?”

“Cooties.” Kim nodded, face and voice solemn. “You had a terminal and very contagious case, DC. I’m glad you survived.”

Marinette snorted. “It was touch and go for a while,” she agreed, flipping open her notebook to where there were actual written notes and not just scribbled designs for even better paper airplanes. “So. Any ideas for the project?”

Kim gave her a flat look. “To be honest, DC, I barely knew we were in history,” he told her, and she snorted again. “As long as it’s not boring, I’m good with anything.”

“Right,” Marinette said, pointing at a doodle in her book. “So I was thinking…”

 

Which was how Kim found himself inside the Louvre later that afternoon rather than trying to scale it. That was a change, honestly. The security guards had given him the stink eye when he’d walked up with Marinette—was he banned from the Louvre? He might’ve been. It was hard to keep track after you reached a certain number of banned places—and had looked beyond confused when Kim had just walked inside without even trying to jump on the pyramid.

“Alright, so what do you know about the crusades?” Marinette asked as they navigated their way through the museum.

Kim caught the eye of a girl across the hall and winked at her. She blushed and ducked her head, giving him a little wave. “I know I’d like to cru her sades.”

“What?” Marinette scrunched up her eyebrows, looking between Kim and the girl. “That doesn’t even make sense. Can you concentrate for, like, two minutes?”

Kim sighed overdramatically, slinging an arm around his friend’s shoulders. “I guess. But if any cute girls ask, you’re my sister.”

Marinette rolled her eyes, pushing him off. “Sure.” She turned down a hallway and Kim followed behind. “Now. Crusades.”

Kim scuffed his toe along the floor. “Lasted from ten ninety five to twelve ninety one. There were nine crusades plus the Children’s one, which they probably should have numbered, too, just to make it easier. In ten sixty five, the Turks took Jerusalem and killed, like, a lot of Christians. Then—what?” He broke off, realizing Marinette had stopped walking and was just staring at him. “I know things.”

She just shook her head, catching back up to him once more. “Apparently,” she muttered. “Despite the fact that you didn’t even know what class we were in this morning.”

He snorted, not bothering to argue her completely valid point, and pulled her under his arm again. “DC, do you want a boyfriend?”

“I thought we went over this already, Kim.” Marinette rolled her eyes but didn’t push him away.

“Not me.” Kim scrunched up his face. “Don’t be gross. You’re basically my sister, DC. I just meant in general. I’m a pretty good wingman. I could get you a pretty hot guy. Like him.”

Marinette followed Kim’s finger, rolling her eyes. “That guy’s, like, thirty,” she pointed out, turning them down another hallway. “Thanks for the offer, but I have a boyfriend.”

Kim gasped loudly, spinning Marinette around and planting his hands on her shoulders. He ducked down to her height, staring into her eyes. “Have you been holding out on me, Dupain-Cheng?” he asked. “Why didn’t I know this?”

“Because we hardly ever talk?” Marinette suggested, pulling out of his grip and starting to walk again.

“Is it Adrien?” Kim guessed, a grin lighting up his face as he jogged after her. “It’s Adrien, isn’t it? Alix owes me so much money.”

“It’s not Adrien.” They turned into the gallery they’d been looking for, one that was cornered off with only the one entrance. “Come on, let’s find the paintings.”

Marinette took off ahead, finding one and standing to stare up at it.

“No, no, no.” Kim jumped in front of her, blocking her view. Marinette shot him an unimpressed look. “You can’t just tell me you have a boyfriend and then not tell me anything, DC. Who is he? Do I know him? Has Alya given him the talk yet, or do I have to? I will kick his ass for you, DC, just say the word.”

“Kim—”

“What’s his name?”

Marinette sighed, pushing him out of the way. “You don’t know him.”

“That’s a stupid name.” Marinette rolled her eyes at Kim’s joke, and he pressed on. “Come on, DC. I know lots of people. Chances are I know this guy. Or maybe you’re making him up.”

He grinned as Marinette narrowed her eyes, stepping closer to glare up at him. 

“I am _not_ making him up,” she insisted. “I—”

Unfortunately, Kim never got to hear where that sentence. The akuma alarms were suddenly blaring, but their point was moot, seeing as the akuma had already burst through the wall into the gallery.

And it was a fucking dragon.

Kim definitely did not scream—it was Marinette, he swears—and pulled his friend back behind a statue. He was shaking, or she was shaking, or someone was shaking, but Kim wasn’t scared. No, he was fucking terrified. Why the hell was there a dragon in the Louvre? What kind of world were they living in where there were fucking dragons in the fucking Louvre?

It was ignoring them in favour of the family on the other side of the gallery, the only other people there, which was good. Not that it was thinking about attacking those people, but that it wasn’t attacking him. 

Or Marinette, who was—not beside him anymore.

Kim’s eyes widened at his friend, who was standing out in the open staring down the beast.

“Are you fucking insane?” he hissed, staying in the relative safety he’d found. “Get back here!”

Marinette ignored him. “Hey, Lizard Brains!” she yelled. “Leave them alone!” And then, as the dragon was turning their way, she chucked her textbook at it.

Marinette fucking Dupain-Cheng threw her fucking textbook at a fucking dragon.

And hit it in the fucking eye.

Kim dove, tackling Marinette and bringing her down just as the dragon blew a stream of fire at where she’d been standing. He pulled her behind another statue, watching as the lucky family was able to escape thanks to Marinette’s distraction.

“What the hell were you thinking?” he whispered, but Marinette just scowled at him.

“I had it under control.”

“You almost got barbequed!” Kim argued. Was Marinette even sane? What was going on?

She didn’t answer, and he took a deep breath, running his free hand through his hair. A dragon. They were stuck in this stupid gallery thanks to a fucking dragon. He glanced at Marinette out of the corner of his eye—he still had a death grip on her arm because the girl was fucking insane and wanted to fight it—and how the fuck did she not look terrified? She was peering over the base of the statue, staring it down and looking like she was analyzing it.

The girl was a fucking crazy person.

“Come out, come out, wherever you are,” the dragon called, its voice sending shivers up Kim’s back. He squeezed Marinette’s arm tighter. “I spied a knight earlier, and I know you’re still here. Come and fight me, knight, and I might leave your little friend alone.”

Nope. Nope. There was no way in hell Kim was fighting a dragon, even if that would keep Marinette safe. It wasn’t happening.

He chanced a glance over the statue, and almost gave himself a heart attack. The dragon was monstrous, its back almost reaching the roof and entirely blocking the doorway to the gallery. It was grinning as it searched, rows of razor sharp teeth glinting as it grinned.

Kim squeezed his eyes shut, pulling Marinette closer. This wasn’t happening. He was at home, in bed. This was just a dream. Maybe he’d fallen asleep in math class again. He definitely wasn’t hiding in the Louvre with Marinette being attacked by a fucking dragon. He’d—

_“Maaaamaaaaa!”_

Marinette gasped and tugged hard against his grip. Kim opened his eyes, and found what she’d saw. A little boy, no more than two or three, was standing out in the open, screaming for his mom.

Marinette tugged again. “Let go of me, Kim.”

“Are you fucking crazy?” Eyes wide, he stared down his friend. “You can’t go out there!”

“I have to save him!” And with that, Marinette yanked her arm from his grasp and ran back out.

Kim couldn’t watch. He couldn’t even look. He curled up, closing his eyes again. This wasn’t happening. Marinette wasn’t going to fight a dragon. There was no way in hell she was fighting a dragon while he was hiding like a coward. That was crazy.

He registered her yelling, but couldn’t make out the words over the ringing in his ears. The dragon yelled back, and he felt the tears leak down his cheeks. Marinette was going to get herself killed trying to fight a fucking dragon, and he wasn’t doing anything to help.

And then he heard the kid scream.

And he felt the rush of fire past the statue.

His breath left him as the boy’s scream cut off, and he let out a sob. He’d let Marinette get herself fucking killed. And he didn’t do anything to stop it.

The fire stopped after what seemed like forever, and he listened to the silence, sobs wracking his body as tears streamed down his face.

He took a deep breath, peeking over the statue and bracing for the sight of Marinette’s charred body. His breath caught as he saw her, curled protectively over the boy behind another statue—completely, entirely, one hundred percent alive.

The tears streaming down his face were now ones of relief, though there was still the problem of the dragon.

Which Marinette still seemed to think she could handle.

She was standing again, stepping back out into the open and glaring it down.

“Is that all you got?”

The dragon grinned again, stepping closer so his face was less than a foot from hers, but Marinette didn’t back down. Kim willed her to, not daring to make a noise. He sent thoughts her way to get the fuck back to safety because there’s no way in hell she could fight a fucking dragon and win.

“If fire won’t get you, little knight,” the dragon hissed, “perhaps my teeth will take care of you.”

_Shit_ , Kim was not planning to watch his friend get eaten by a dragon. That was not on the agenda. He needed to get out there, force her into safety, but he couldn’t move. He was as frozen in terror as the little boy, who was curled in a ball behind the other statue.

But Marinette? Marinette had to be a fucking lunatic because she wound up and punched the dragon in the fucking nose.

The dragon pulled back, blinking in surprise, but Marinette didn’t back down. Not until a silver baton had come in smacking at the dragon until it roared and smashed through the wall, running off.

Chat Noir landed in front of Marinette, whispering words too low for Kim to hear as he rose on shaky legs. Marinette pulled away from the superhero, going back to the little boy and coaxing him from his curled-up positon. He looked at her with wide eyes, then turned and ran from the gallery back into the rest of the museum.

“Marinette, you’re a fucking lunatic,” Kim said, his voice wobbling with leftover fear. Both Marinette and Chat Noir’s heads snapped in his direction. He took a few shaky steps before his legs were steady under him, and he threw his arms around Marinette, sobbing into her shoulder. “What the hell were you thinking? You can’t fight a fucking dragon! You could have _died_!”

“You fought the dragon?”

Marinette patted Kim on the back in reassurance before pulling away.

“I’m okay, Chat.”

“You can’t do that, Mari!”

Mari? Since when did Chat Noir have nicknames for Marinette? And since when was Marinette on a first name basis with the superhero? Kim wiped his eyes as the hero looked over Marinette.

“I can take care of myself.” Marinette leveled Chat with a look almost as scary as the one she’d been staring the dragon down with.

“She punched it in the face,” Kim added, hoping to help out his friend after he’d so terribly failed her.

Unfortunately, it seemed to have the opposite effect.

Chat Noir’s eyes widened. “You punched it in the face? Marinette, you’re not a superhero! You can’t just take on akumas like that! What if you’d gotten—” He broke off at the hiss of pain Marinette gave as he grabbed her arm, and both Chat Noir and Kim noticed something at the same time.

Marinette’s sleeve had burnt off, charred material sticking to her blistering skin.

“No, no, no, no.” Chat Noir ran a hand through his hair, looking far more distressed than Kim had ever seen him. “Marinette, it hurt you. You could have _died_. If you’d—if it’d killed you, I don’t know what I’d—I don’t know—”

“Hey,” Marinette interrupted, lifting her non-burnt hand to touch—nope. That was definitely a caress. There was definite caressing going on between Marinette and Chat Noir. Kim had some serious questions for his friend—the side of Chat Noir’s face, rubbing her thumb against his cheek. “I’m okay. I mean, yeah, it sucks, but Ladybug’ll fix it. I’ll be okay, Kitty.”

Kim stared at Marinette. She had nicknames for him, too? What was going on?

Chat Noir’s hand reached up to hold Marinette’s against his cheek. “You could have died, Princess,” he pressed, but Marinette shook her head.

“You could die every time you go out there to fight the akumas,” she pointed out. “And I don’t say anything about it. Do you think _I_ like _that_?”

“That’s different,” Chat Noir insisted. “That’s my job. You’re not supposed to get hurt, Mari. You’re supposed to stay safe.” He leaned down, pressing their foreheads together. “If anything happened to you…”

“It won’t,” Marinette promised. “Now go fight that akuma.”

Chat Noir nodded, and pressed his lips to hers, kissing her deeply.

Kim blinked in surprise. Nicknames. Caressing. Forehead touching. And now kissing. This could only mean one thing.

“ _Chat Noir_ is your boyfriend?”

The couple broke apart, staring at Kim as if they’d forgotten he was there.

“Right,” the hero said, rubbing at the back of his neck and laughing nervously. “Yeah, okay. Kim, right? You okay?”

Kim raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, but I’ll pass on the kiss,” he said, then narrowed his eyes. “If you hurt her, M. Superhero, I will kick your ass.”

Chat Noir nodded. “Noted.” He twirled his baton back up into his hand. “I have to get back to the fight, but both of you get somewhere safe and you—” He pointed at Kim. “—keep her in your sight and don’t let her fight anymore dragons.” Kim nodded, and the hero turned back to Marinette, who was scowling at him. “I’m sorry, Princess, but I need you safe.” He darted down, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. “Stay in the Louvre, and I’ll come find you after the fight.”

And, with that, Chat Noir was gone.

Kim grinned widely at Marinette, who was pointedly not looking at him. “So, Princess,” he drawled, and Marinette turned her scowl on him.

“Shut up,” she said, walking past him into the rest of the building. Kim spared a glance at the gaping hole in the wall before following behind, clutching onto Marinette’s non-burnt arm.

“Why didn’t you tell me you’re dating Chat Noir?”

Marinette sighed loudly. “Because it’s none of your business? And the only people who know are Alya, Nino, and Adrien, so don’t go blabbing it, please.” She shook her arm in his grip. “Can I please have my arm back? I need to go.”

Kim gaped at her for a minute. Was she serious? There was a dragon on the loose and they had specific orders from her superhero boyfriend to stay together, and she wanted to just leave?

“No can do, DC,” he told her, shaking his head. “I know I said I’d kick Chat Noir’s ass, but I really don’t think I’d be able to. I fought him before and lost bigtime, and I’d rather not have to do it again if you get yourself eaten by a dragon.”

Marinette steered them down an empty dead end, with only a pair of bathrooms at the end, and groaned.

“I’m not going to get eaten,” she insisted. “But I really need you to trust me and let me leave, Kim.”

Kim just shook his head. There was no way he was going to have Chat Noir fight him today. It just wasn’t going to happen.

Marinette sighed again, stopping in front of the bathrooms. “Can you at least let me go to the washroom?” she asked.

“You can hold it,” Kim told her. “I told Chat Noir I wasn’t going to let you out of my sight. I’m not going to go against a superhero.”

Marinette scowled at him, seeming to run through her options.

“Fine,” she finally said. “You better be able to keep a secret, Lê Chiên. Spots on.”

None of that made any sense, but Kim was blinded by a pink light before he could argue. And then he was rubbing his eyes and gaping.

Because Marinette was not insane for fighting a dragon.

She was just Ladybug.

She gave him a sheepish smile. “He…he doesn’t know.” She didn’t elaborate on who “he” was, but Kim didn’t need her to. “So just don’t tell him, okay?”

Kim blinked at her for a moment before a grin stretched across his face. “So do I know all your secrets now, DC?”

“Yes.” Marinette pressed her fingers against her forehead. “Please don’t make me regret this, Kim.”

As Marinette ran off to go fight the dragon—again, but this time in actual clothing that might be fireproof—Kim sunk down against the wall.

What the fuck kind of day was this? First, he got attacked by a dragon. Then he broke all his rules. Then Marinette fought the dragon. And then Marinette was dating Chat Noir? And she was Ladybug? But Chat Noir didn’t know that?

None of this made any sense, and it was all giving him a headache. He needed an Advil. And a nap.

 

Kim didn’t know how long he sat at the end of that hallway before Chat Noir came racing down it. He skidded to a halt as Kim pushed back to his feet.

“Where’s Marinette? She’s okay, right? The Cure fixed her arm?”

Kim shrugged nonchalantly, stuffing his hands into his pocket. “Dunno,” he said. “She’s in the bathroom.”

Chat Noir nodded, running a hand through his hair. “I can’t believe she tried to fight the dragon,” he muttered, leaning back against the wall beside Kim.

“It was pretty awesome,” he pointed out. “I mean, it was terrifying as hell, but it was really fucking badass.”

Chat Noir let out a breathy laugh, dragging his palm over his face, but didn’t say anything.

“What are your intentions with DC?” Kim asked, turning to scowl at the superhero. He was taller, so intimidation might work even if he didn’t think he’d be able to physically fight him. “I’ve seen you, M. Superhero. You flirt with everyone. You’d better not be playing her.”

Chat Noir quickly shook his head, staring at Kim with wide eyes. “I’d never do anything to hurt her, Kim,” he insisted, seeming sincere. “I love her. She’s…she’s everything.”

Kim nodded. That was a good enough answer, wasn’t it? God, he couldn’t believe that a fucking superhero was in love with his friend. This was insane.

Marinette came running down the hallway a second later, and Chat Noir was on her immediately, checking to make sure her arm was alright.

“DC!” Kim called, relieved that the dragon hadn’t eaten his friend. Of course, Chat Noir probably would have mentioned if Ladybug had been eaten, but the point was still there. “How’d you get out of the bathroom?”

“Uh…” Marinette sent him a panicked look before grinning sheepishly when her boyfriend caught her gaze. “The akuma punched a hole in the wall?” Chat Noir looked ready to start freaking out again, but Marinette rushed to correct herself. “The hole was already in the wall when I got in there so, I mean, I assumed it was the akuma and someone was calling for help outside, so I had to go out and see if I could do anything and by the time I came back Ladybug had fixed everything and the hole wasn’t there anymore so I had to go all the way around but now I’m here!”

Kim stood back, checking his phone as the couple fussed over each other for a few minutes.

“You should go,” Marinette finally insisted, smiling at Chat Noir with a ridiculously lovey dovey expression that Kim definitely wouldn’t be letting her forget anytime soon. “I’ll see you tonight?”

Chat Noir nodded, leaning down and kissing her one last time before jogging off, not even sparing a goodbye for Kim. But he didn’t care. No, he had bigger things going on than worrying about a superhero saying goodbye.

“So,” he drawled, throwing an arm around Marinette’s shoulders and starting back towards the gallery. “Ladybug, huh?”

Marinette sent him a glare that was half serious and half pleading. “Say so much as a single word to anyone and everyone finds out you cried like a baby today.”

“Ouch,” Kim said, still grinning. “Deal. But I’m telling everyone you punched a dragon in the face, DC. That was fucking awesome.”

 

They were in history three days later when the next akuma attacked. Kim could hear the screams coming from outside the school, and so could everyone else. The principal had already given the standard “we’re probably going to die so please don’t leave your classrooms unless the monster is in your classroom” speech over the PA system, so Mme. Bustier was denying Marinette and Adrien’s requests to go to the washroom.

(Why was Adrien trying to go to the washroom? Was he crazy? Any sane, non-superhero person would not be trying to go to the washroom while a monster was attacking. Just saying.)

It seemed that Marinette was getting nowhere with her attempts to leave, and, from a quick glance out the window, her boyfriend was still nowhere to be seen, so Kim stood up with a sigh.

He moved down the steps, grabbing Marinette’s arm and dragging him with her.

“M. Lê Chiên,” Mme. Bustier said, narrowing her eyes. “There is an akuma attack underway. Where do you think you’re going?”

Kim…hadn’t really thought this through. He scanned the room for an excuse, his eyes lighting on the stapler. He kept eye contact with Mme. Bustier as he picked up the stapler with the hand that wasn’t still holding Marinette, opening it up and slamming it against his head.

“There’s a staple in my face,” he told her, ignoring both the stinging pain and the furious look Marinette was giving him. “DC’s gonna take me to the nurse.”

And with that, Lê Chiên Kim left the room, dragging the superhero behind him.

“What the hell was that?” Marinette hissed as soon as the door slammed shut behind them. “Why did you—? What were you—what were you _thinking,_ Kim?”

“I was _thinking_ ,” Kim grunted, grimacing as he tugged the staple free of his skin, “that your boyfriend hasn’t shown up and that you really stink at getting away to transform and that somebody had to go fight that thing. I got you out of the classroom, didn’t I?”

Marinette spluttered through a dozen or so unintelligible sentences before Kim sighed, covering her mouth with his hand.

“Get out there and fight the thing, DC.”

She blinked at him for a moment, before pushing his hand away and waving a finger at him. “You can’t just do that, Kim,” she told him. “Don’t think we’re not talking about this later.”

And, with that, Marinette was running off, calling on her transformation as she ran away.

“Glad to hear it,” Kim mumbled, pressing his fingers to his wound and wincing. “ _Shit_ , that hurts.”

 

Back in the classroom, Adrien along with everyone else was staring with open mouths at the door. Adrien should have been trying to find a way to get out of the classroom—especially now that Marinette was probably in more danger because what the _fuck_ was Kim thinking?—but he just couldn’t concentrate on that. Had Kim really just stapled himself in the face? And _why the hell_ would he do that?

“What the fuck?”

It was Alix who spoke the words that everyone was thinking, and Mme. Bustier didn’t even bother to admonish her for her language.

**Author's Note:**

> So there we go! I'm actually kind of liking this so I might do more in this universe at some point.  
> Hope you enjoyed the story!  
> Comments are life and asks are golden!  
> Check me out on Tumblr at probably-voldemort :D


End file.
